Winfred Rembert (1945–2021)

What a wonderful book uncovering the inspirational life of a man who overcomes every roadblock as a poor black man in a small town in rural Georgia to become a well respected artist and a good man. Persecuted, nearly lynched and spending many years in prison Winfred had the inner strength to perservere and lead a valuable rewarding life. Along with him was his honest true blue wife Patsy who he met while working on a chain gang and they bech become the love of each other's lives. What makes Rembert's art unique is it is all done on leather.Fantastic story of a man I had never heard of till I read the book.… (more)

Winfred Rembert (1945-2021) survived the worst brutality the rural Jim Crow South had to offer, including prison, time spent on a chain gang, and even a near-lynching, to become a celebrated artist with a distinctive style. Rembert's memoir, Chasing Me to My Grave tells his story beginning with his childhood of deprivation and going through his joining the Civil Rights movement, getting in trouble with the law, and ending with his redemption through his art and the love of a good woman.

This harrowing but moving memoir, which won the Pulitzer Prize for biography in 2022, deserves the many honors that it has received. It features full-color reproductions of Rembert's leatherwork along with glimpses into the often-overlooked lives of Blacks in the Deep South during the oppressive Jim Crow era. Bryan Stevenson's thoughtful introduction is also not to be missed. Highly recommended.… (more)